§ 160.665 — School protection officers, teachers or administrators may be designated as — authorized to carry concealed firearms — requirements — public hearing to be held, when.

Missouri § 160.665

• Jurisdiction: Missouri
• Title XI: EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES
• Ch. 160: Schools — General Provisions

Text

1.  Any school district within the state may designate one or more elementary or secondary school teachers or administrators as a school protection officer.  The responsibilities and duties of a school protection officer are voluntary and shall be in addition to the normal responsibilities and duties of the teacher or administrator.  Any compensation for additional duties relating to service as a school protection officer shall be funded by the local school district, with no state funds used for such purpose.

2.  Any person designated by a school district as a school protection officer shall be authorized to carry concealed firearms or a self-defense spray device in any school in the district.  A self-defense spray device shall mean any device that is capable of carrying, and that ejects, releases, or emits, a nonlethal solution capable of incapacitating a violent threat.  The school protection officer shall not be permitted to allow any firearm or device out of his or her personal control while that firearm or device is on school property.  Any school protection officer who violates this subsection may be removed immediately from the classroom and subject to employment termination proceedings.

3.  A school protection officer has the same authority to detain or use force against any person on school property as provided to any other person under chapter 563 .

4.  Upon detention of a person under subsection 3 of this section, the school protection officer shall immediately notify a school administrator and a school resource officer, if such officer is present at the school.  If the person detained is a student then the parents or guardians of the student shall also be immediately notified by a school administrator.

5.  Any person detained by a school protection officer shall be turned over to a school administrator or law enforcement officer as soon as practically possible and shall not be detained by a school protection officer for more than one hour.

6.  Any teacher or administrator of an elementary or secondary school who seeks to be designated as a school protection officer shall request such designation in writing, and submit it to the superintendent of the school district which employs him or her as a teacher or administrator.  Along with this request, any teacher or administrator seeking to carry a concealed firearm on school property shall also submit proof that he or she has a valid concealed carry endorsement or permit, and all teachers and administrators seeking the designation of school protection officer shall submit a certificate of school protection officer training program completion from a training program approved by the director of the department of public safety which demonstrates that such person has successfully completed the training requirements established by the POST commission under chapter 590 for school protection officers.

7.  No school district may designate a teacher or administrator as a school protection officer unless such person has successfully completed a school protection officer training program, which has been approved by the director of the department of public safety.  No school district shall allow a school protection officer to carry a concealed firearm on school property unless the school protection officer has a valid concealed carry endorsement or permit.

8.  Any school district that designates a teacher or administrator as a school protection officer shall, within thirty days, notify, in writing, the director of the department of public safety of the designation, which shall include the following:

(1)  The full name, date of birth, and address of the officer;

(2)  The name of the school district; and

(3)  The date such person was designated as a school protection officer. ­­ ­ Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, any identifying information collected under the authority of this subsection shall not be considered public information and shall not be subject to a request for public records made under chapter 610 .

9.  A school district may revoke the designation of a person as a school protection officer for any reason and shall immediately notify the designated school protection officer in writing of the revocation.  The school district shall also within thirty days of the revocation notify the director of the department of public safety in writing of the revocation of the designation of such person as a school protection officer.  A person who has had the designation of school protection officer revoked has no right to appeal the revocation decision.

10.  The director of the department of public safety shall maintain a listing of all persons designated by school districts as school protection officers and shall make this list available to all law enforcement agencies.

11.  Before a school district may designate a teacher or administrator as a school protection officer, the school board shall hold a public hearing on whether to allow such designation.  Notice of the hearing shall be published at least fifteen days before the date of the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation within the city or county in which the school district is located.  The board may determine at a closed meeting, as "closed meeting" is defined under section 610.010 , whether to authorize the designated school protection officer to carry a concealed firearm or a self-defense spray device.

Legislative History

(L. 2014 S.B. 656) *Effective 10-10-14, see § 21.250.  S.B. 656 was vetoed July 14, 2014. The veto was overridden on September 10, 2014.